Au Pairs
5 Tips for Safe Trick or Treating
TRICK OR TREAT TOGETHER – Children should trick or treat in groups and younger children should have adult supervision. DRESS UP SAFELY – Avoid masks that block children’s vision and make sure costumes don’t pose a tripping hazard. Avoid sharp or heavy props that could cause injury. BE VISIBLE – Children should be visible to drivers. Read More
Preparing for Cold Weather
We’re in that time of year when Maryland temperatures start dipping a little lower. It can be 70°F (21°C) one day and 40°F (4°C) the next. But, that doesn’t mean you need to hide indoors. There are lots of ways to stay warm and enjoy the outdoors through fall and winter. There is a Scandinavian Read More
Fun Fall Activity Ideas
Looking for fun fall activities to do with your kids? Check out Au Pair in America’s Halloween Fun & Fall Holidays pinboards on Pinterest. Looking for even more fun fall activities, to do on your own, with friends, and/or with your host family? Print out our Fall Bucket List full of fun fall traditions and Read More
What are the Rules for Holidays?
There are no regulations requiring host families to give au pairs any specific holidays off. In the spirit of the au pair program, many host families will give their au pair the day off on major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, July 4th). Most au pairs look forward to sharing holidays like Thanksgiving and Read More
Hints for Success – Homesickness/Culture Shock
Almost everyone experiences culture shock and homesickness when they come to a completely new environment. Everything is different: the language, the food, and the people. Here are our Top 5 Tips forDealing with Homesickness 1. Make friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There Read More
Going Unplugged During Work Hours
Phones, tablets, and laptops are wonderful tools to stay connected and informed, but we need to be careful not to let them become distractions from real-life interactions and most importantly our responsibilities. Au Pairs – Imagine for a moment that you went to the hospital and you were in the care of doctors and nurses. How would Read More
Back to School Planning
Back to school time is here. This can mean changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties. It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems. Here is a list of topics to consider discussing: Au pair’s work schedule. The children’s school and activity schedules. Where the children get dropped off Read More
Stopping for School Buses
With schools getting back in session soon and many new au pairs, I wanted to remind everyone about the Maryland law that requires you to stop for school buses. Below you will find pictures explaining what to do in 4 different types of roads if you approach a school bus at a stop. If you Read More
Make Your Own Ice Cream
Making your own ice cream is a fun summer activity to do with the kids. Here is a simple recipe. You can change it up by adding a little chocolate syrup, a few chocolate chips, or using a flavoring other than vanilla. In a quart size zipper baggie, combine… 1 cup of whole milk or Read More
Drive-In Movies
Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Drive-in movies are outdoor theaters where the movie is projected on a large screen and you watch from your car. There were once over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the U.S., and now only a few hundred remain. If you want the full-on experience of a drive-in movie Read More
Health & Safety: Where are Ticks?
When the weather is nice, we spend more time outdoors with the children. Playing in the back yard, at the playground, or walking on nature trails are great ways to get fresh air and exercise. What are ticks? – Ticks are small mites that attach to the skin and suck blood. Click HERE to see examples of Read More
10 Safety Tips for Au Pairs – Staying Safe Out and About
These tips are not intended to scare you, but to make you aware of some simple things you can do to prevent being the victim of a crime. When you get into an Uber or Lyft, make sure the vehicle matches the description and the driver is who the app shows. When riding on metro, Read More
Holiday & Vacation Reminders
Holidays and vacations are a great opportunity to rest, recharge and explore the U.S. Memorial Day Weekend (May 23-25 this year) is the unofficial start of summer travel season. Here are some reminders about program rules regarding holidays and vacations. Holidays Host families are not required to give au pairs any specific holidays. Each host family will make Read More
Protecting Privacy & Personal Information Online
We live in a time of constant sharing through social media. We often share pictures, plans of somewhere we are going, or rants about problems, without thinking much about who will see it and what could be the consequences. Before clicking “post”, stop to think: Am I violating someone’s privacy? Am I sharing personal information Read More
Create a Spring Break Game Plan
“Game plan” means a strategy for how you are going to accomplish something. In the case of keeping kids from getting bored and/or into trouble, the best way to prevent it is to keep them busy with safe, fun activities. When there are days home from school, letting kids sit around watching TV or playing video Read More